Experiencing the Holy Spirit

Moving from Vision to Reality

How to enter the Kingdom of Heaven

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We would have sung the song, ‘Heaven is a wonderful place, filled with glory and grace, I want to see my Savior’s face, Heaven is a wonderful place! Yes, heaven surely is a beautiful and a wonderful place. It is the desire of many to enter the Kingdom of Heaven after the earthly life. Even if we lived to be one hundred years, eternity will still be a very long time. However, not every one that calls the name of Jesus, will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. There are some conditions in the scripture that enables us to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
Who will enter the Kingdom of heaven?

Be converted and become as little children:

Mathew 18: 3, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.” The word, ‘by no means’ is a strong word. Jesus said that one could enter the Kingdom of heaven by trusting in Jesus, by a genuine conversion and a total dependence like that of a child. Jesus further mentioned that the greatness in the kingdom is by humility like a child, expressed in sincere and faithful service. If you have not given your life to Jesus, invite Him into your hearts right now and get converted. It is not worth spending your life without giving your heart to Jesus one hundred percent. If you are converted already, then strive to become like little children. Becoming as little children is a process and a life-long process. This is called transformation. We need to become small in our eyes and acknowledge the greatness of God. That is humility. Jesus said in Matthew 18: 4, “Whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”

Exceed in righteousness:

Jesus said in Luke 18: 11, 12, “the Pharisee stood and prayed … God I thank You that I am not like other men-extortioners, unjust, adulterers or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.” The Pharisees were bragging about themselves and accusing others. Sometime, we catch ourselves doing that. Let us take an inventory of our own lives. We need to be righteous in the eyes of God. When it came to service, they did a lip service and gave alms just to look good in the eyes of people. Their hearts were far from the Lord. When we do service, it has to come from our heart and unto God. That is why the Lord called them white washed tombs. In Matthew 5: 20 Jesus said, “Unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of Heaven. Their righteous acts were fasting and tithing. If the Pharisees fasted twice every week, we should fast more and be willing to fast whenever God leads us to. Our fasting must be coupled with earnest prayers. That is exceeding in righteousness. If they gave tithes, we should give tithes to God, offerings and alms to the poor. That is what it means to exceed in righteousness. Malachi 3: 8, “will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, in what way have we robbed You?’ In tithes and offerings. God calls the people that wouldn’t tithe and give offerings as robbers and they do not inherit God’s kingdom.
1 Cor 6: 9, 10, “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? …. Not thieves, nor covetous ….will inherit the kingdom of God.” This is very clear in the word of God. Sadly some believers still debate about fasting and tithing.

Do the will of the Father in heaven:

Matthew 7: 21, “Not everyone who says to Me, “Lord, Lord shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.” We need to commit ourselves totally to the will of God. That would include our thought life, our words and our deeds. Is 55: 8, 9, “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.” The Psalmist was a man after God’s own heart. He prayed simple prayers like, “Lord show me your ways, teach me your paths.” When Jesus walked the face of the earth, he often talked about the will of the Father. Jesus said that His food, His family and His mission was to do the will of the Father in heaven. That is exactly how we our believers should be. Matthew 7: 21, “Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father in heaven.” The thief at the cross pleaded with Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom” (Luke 23: 42) He asked for the ‘Kingdom’ but he was given only the paradise which is a resting place like a garden. The kingdom of Heaven is not for the asking but for the obedience to the Word of God and doing God’s will in our life.
May the Lord help us every day to do the will of God in every area. In Jesus’ name, Amen!